Soul or Funk Records With Lead Guitar Solos

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06-27-2019, 10:27 PM
Jerry Oz

Soul or Funk Records With Lead Guitar Solos

Electric guitar solos are a staple in rock songs. It's almost taken for granted most rock songs, whether they are top 40 or hard rock or punk, will include a lead guitar. With that said, ever so often we heard great lead guitars played on funk or soul records. I wish they were more prevalent because I think they add a lot to some songs.

This one by Con Funk Shun is a great example. It's got three solos and they get progressively better as it goes on. I believe it was Michael Vernon Cooper who chopped it up so well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODKeI2ieA4Y
06-27-2019, 10:30 PM
Jerry Oz

Stephen Shockley was the guitarist for Lakeside. He was so underrated and that's a shame. Here's a record that was put on an album that included songs that were left off other albums. The lead guitar performance is the best that he did for the band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qs93GGgdCA
06-27-2019, 10:31 PM
Jerry Oz

Here's another great solo by Shockley. It's too short but still packs punch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RzQlpAM5rU
06-27-2019, 10:32 PM
Jerry Oz

The great Ernie Isley delivered on Voyage to Atlantis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh6lGI1bOkw
06-27-2019, 10:35 PM
Jerry Oz

Slave had a great lead guitarist, Mark Hicks [[aka Drac) who broke out with several great guitar solos. Gone too soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZYvj2XuBko
06-27-2019, 10:38 PM
Jerry Oz

Funkadelic. No strangers to guitars. The solo on the 12" version of One Nation Under A Groove stands out. Pretty sure it's Gary Shider.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjbVmX1_wh8
06-27-2019, 10:40 PM
Jerry Oz

Of course I have to include Maggot Brain with Eddie Hazel changing R&B/funk/soul forever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh3bleXWaCk
06-27-2019, 10:44 PM
Jerry Oz

Jesse Johnson absolutely rocked 777-9311. This might be the best guitar from Minneapolis that wasn't performed by Prince. This is so tight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zioEaqjPAGI
06-27-2019, 10:46 PM
Jerry Oz

This one went under the radar. It's not electrified but it's one of my favorite guitar solos. Eric Johns was a wonderful guitarist for Heatwave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuIRY-8VNh4
06-27-2019, 10:50 PM
Jerry Oz

Ernie Isley again. This is bluesy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4YklqpJaUQ
06-27-2019, 10:52 PM
Jerry Oz

Beat It might be closer to rock than R&B but I'll include Eddie Van Halen's epic solo for the general principle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0
06-27-2019, 10:54 PM
Jerry Oz

The great Steve Cropper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bpS-cOBK6Q
06-28-2019, 01:33 AM
sansradio

His Royal Badness absolutely shreds this solo from the 2:49 mark until the end. A mere sign of the greatness to come.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQvPk0L6gGI
06-28-2019, 12:14 PM
arr&bee

Who's that lady-isley bros....mind over matter-the temptations.
06-28-2019, 01:14 PM
Jerry Oz

Quote:

Originally Posted by sansradio

His Royal Badness absolutely shreds this solo from the 2:49 mark until the end. A mere sign of the greatness to come.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQvPk0L6gGI

I was going to put Let's Go Crazy and When Doves Cry on here but I wondered if they weren't true rock songs. But Prince's prowess with an axe was unmatched among popular non-rock and non-jazz artists.
06-29-2019, 07:14 AM
Motown Eddie

Here we go: Mandrill's "Fencewalk" with Omar Mesa's guitar solo.

https://youtu.be/aTsw3u6g5YI

And Stevie Wonder's "Looking For Another Pure Love" with Jeff Beck's guitar solo.

https://youtu.be/NUn34tinbQk

And Isaac Hayes' "Walk On By" with Michael Toles' guitar solo.

https://youtu.be/iqR4CZj0mJQ
06-29-2019, 10:57 AM
marv2

Machine Gun by the Commodores:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-sLIX95ka4
06-29-2019, 11:01 AM
marv2

At 4:06 here in Brick's "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6lomFxpig
06-29-2019, 03:12 PM
Jerry Oz

Quote:

Originally Posted by marv2

At 4:06 here in Brick's "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6lomFxpig

You know, I didn't recall the solo in this one. Good catch.
07-02-2019, 08:29 PM
sansradio

How could we forget this one? Pass me my codpiece:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn8KYD1Vco0
07-02-2019, 10:33 PM
Jerry Oz

Quote:

Originally Posted by sansradio

How could we forget this one? Pass me my codpiece:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn8KYD1Vco0

Wow. How did I forget that one? I'm a big Cameo fan.
07-03-2019, 03:16 AM
sansradio

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Oz

Wow. How did I forget that one? I'm a big Cameo fan.

Larry Blackmon was my style icon in high school. I had the sky-high flat-top fade and everything. My jersey for one of my high school groups even said "AAOWW." ;)
07-03-2019, 10:46 AM
splanky

It's kind of a shame how many folks who came to funk via George Clinton's bands
overlook the strength of the material from other acts, especially Cameo and Slave. The
latter's guitarist Mark Hicks and bassist Mark Adams could give P-Funk's boys a run for
their money. And the Rolling Stone folks idiotic comparing of Larry Blackmon to GC
was criminal. Cameo navigated their time quite well, from the earlier big group stuff
like It's Serious through the loss of Wayne Why Have I Lost You Cooper and into the
80's with big hit Word Up and other tracks on Single Life and She's Strange. I still listen
to a lot of both bands....